For an artist who uses storytelling techniques in his paintings, whether in a bold way or in a subtle way, understanding scale and using it effectively clearly separates the men from the boys in creating a "zinger". In this cartoon by the late and very great Charles Addams(1912-1988), who has been called the "Bela Lugosi of the Cartoonists"), the Boiling Oil cartoon in the space of a few square inches tells us a story of macabre humor that is delicious in its portrayal of his famous weirdo Addams family... just about to pour boiling oil down on to the cheery, festive Christmas carolers below. It was a little too controversial to make the cover, but the New Yorker Magazine did give him a full page in their Christmas edition in 1946.

When we think about it, the move to publish this by the editors took nothing short of guts which proved to be a decision that would be good for the New Yorker, and clearly put Addams’ career on the map. There is a lot going on in this art. Aside from the genius idea, Addams’ use of scale in conveying his concept is brilliant.

Some people think scale is about size. That is an oversimplification of what actually is a complex concept. Scale is a tool used to convey what an artist sees in his mind. By the scale he works, manipulates, tweaks and edits in his final draft, we as viewers are actually able to get into his head and "see" what he sees. It is this special ability that certain artists have of conveying a complex idea through a picture by juggling images, sizes, points of view and proportion that give us his final interpretation of the concept he is communicating. He communicates to us through his style.

Andy Warhol led us into a world of gigantic hamburgers and Campbell soup cans. By painting huge canvases and putting ordinary objects on a throne, so to speak, he intimidated and shocked us into recognition. He changed the way we look at our surroundings and everyday objects forever.

This art-making business is about taking an idea and creating an image that people can connect with. Without an idea, there is no art-only a mechanical exercise using artists’ materials. Today artists struggle with age-old questions. They ask themselves, how can I get people to see what I see? I have these ideas and passions that make me want to create and sometimes they push me in directions that even I don’t understand. To push forward and paint your internal vision takes courage. It takes time and it is a process that cannot be rushed. It has layers of depth.

I would like to introduce you to two contemporary painters with two distinct styles, subject matters and different mediums. From two corners of the world and with different art experiences and surrounding art cultures, they do share a common thread: they both understand how to use scale to let people "see" what they are thinking in dramatic ways.

Both of these artists are part of Daily Painters Gallery, www.dailypainters.com. Daily painters do just that-- they paint every day. Both artists work in the series method: Take an idea and expand it until you find a certain level of comfort and accomplishment in exploring a theme. You will find other common threads in their words that surprised the author as well: both are self taught, both are fascinated by the process of painting and both are surprised by the roads their art adventures take them. Read their insights and what they say about their individual works:

Ron Morrison, watercolorist, Courtenay, B.C.

First thing, I’ve been painting for thirty years, off an on. I am basically self taught. I always wanted to just paint the cars. For years, we used to travel all over B.C. looking for old stuff-I took lots of pictures which still are my references to this day. I want to explore the subject matter in many different ways.

The Gathering

I painted this in 1980. I kept this painting over the years as a "core piece". It took me ten days to paint with a 000 brush.

You earn a style that is uniquely your own by learning and painting constantly. You have to learn how to paint first, style comes much later. You may not end up where you thought you would, but hopefully you will go on a rewarding journey. Style development is a process and it is not static. It is a moveable feast.

Old Farm Truck Out to Pasture

Mates

What I generally do now is either work out the composition on a piece of cardboard and make any changes before I transfer it to the paper OR I paint it directly on to the paper. I start with a couple of cars and a house and add to it.

Now comes the hard part-Quite often I have done character studies of some of the cars I have chosen to put into the bigger painting. But scale is the thing-it is beastly hard fun to get everything in the proper scale and balance aaaaand I want the thing to be a little quirky. I want the composition to be full of energy and to be on the brink of falling apart. To barely hold together.

Building a Painting

What I like to do is create a scene that doesn't exist.

Work the picture from a series of sketches into the big scene.

I have no idea how it will end up. It just evolves.

All the junkyards are made up. There are no pencil lines in my paintings. I start in the middle and paint to the edges of a full sheet of paper (22"x30") The reference photo is used to just get the idea of the car, but from there on, I rust them and arrange them and colour them from my head.

Rusticity

This is a compilation piece with characters from all over.

Rusticity means being rustic or rural, it does not mean "being rusted".

I also really like to do oversize paintings which I do using elephant rolls of paper.

I have a few paintings on my blog that are 4 feet wide and I had to develop a system for doing those.

Backyard at North Bend

I should be painting onions or switching to oils rather than investing years to develop my own style. But I'm stubborn.

Coombs Cadillacs in Reverse

The minute watercolours got my interst I soon believed a tube of watercolour was a magical thing as was a sheet of watercolour paper. I still believe in the magic of watercolour-completely, truly and profoundly.

I always feel like a child when I start to paint. It never ceases to amaze me that the process actually works. I am a self taught painter and every day each painting is a new experiment. A good painting for me is a painting that surprises me. When I come to my studio the day after I’ve done a piece, and I view the painting as good, then I am happy and I feel satisfied.

Window Cleaner

All day I have been trying to put three dimensional things onto a two

dimensional surfacesand from there Itry to create an illusion of a three dimensional world. It is a feast for me to see the world in reflections, like in large windows, puddles or shiny surfaces, as everything seems to be already there.

My motive to paint a subject does not need to be something too dramatic, although I have

a reputation of seeing everything a bit more dramatic than it is. I view my role as one who records life. I can be fascinated by a beer bottle on the street corner with a ray of sunlight hitting it.

Barist

Barist is a bar not too far from where I live. I was intrigued by those large mirrors, reflecting another mirror image in itself, and so on and so on... I work a lot with mirrors. I have a large one in my studio, and I constantly check my work in the mirror, so that I get a different view of the picture I’m working on. I can easily spot mistakes that creep in through the reflection.

It is that childish joy that an ordinary thing recorded in paint suddenly becomes magic.

On a Scaffold

A few weeks ago I did a painting of my studio as it was turned into a construction site. Well, it has not changed much since I am afraid, (grr) but it gives an interesting motive to paint. So, I have to say that here is what I saw this morning.

There is something else. If I see something that inspires me to paint, I always try to see it completely as an abstract vision. If it stays in my mind for a length of time and continues to fascinate me, that is a test and gives me the go ahead to start painting. I can never see the difference between abstract work and what people call representational. For me, there is no difference.

Unter den Linden

The days grow longer, today was a day full of promise of the coming spring, and suddenly it is here again, the blue hour, when the lights are on, and the sky is yet not dark. Here is my impression of the opera house on Unter den Linden (one of Berlins famous boulevards) at this time of day.

Night Lights

I am always fascinated by the lights at night. Some places in town look like film sets. Everything changes through the lights, the seeable becomes mellowed, the unseeabel becomes mystic.

The key to all of my work is to be in a state of constant wonder and amazement. It’s a little scary to think about having an art career it and sometimes I get overwhelmed by it. My paintings are a way to express what I feel about the world around me. If I can share what I see with others I am very thankful to have the opportunity to do that, and I’m humbled by people wanting to collect my work.

Paris Bar Berlin

I worked for over a year on this painting, now it is completed

In conclusion, scale is a special tool that is privileged by some artists who take a step outside the norm to seek answers and share their thoughts with us. Unfortunately, there are no magic glasses we can put on to instantly see as these artists do, but we can all appreciate and value their special insight.

Naquaiya ©2007